Float operated switch



A. PENN Feb 21, 1933. FLOAT OEERATED SWITCH R5 13,744

Original Filed May 21. IQZB may g/mywagzzg;

"vide a structure o Reuma Feb. '21, 1933 UNITED s'rA'frss ALBERT PENNpOF Dm ROUES, IOWA, ASBIGNB T PENN ELEGTRIC BWITUH G0., l'

, DES MOINE, IOWA, A CORPORATION 0l' IOWA PATENT OFFICE :FLOAT OPEBATED SWITCH OriginalV No. 1,788,448, dated December 2, 1980, Serial No. 279,328. med

lay 21 1828. Application. for

rellue led Hal-ch V 16, 19312. Serial N0. 599,305.

The object of m invention is to provide an automatic water evel controlling structure of simple, durable and comparatlvely inexpensive construction.

More particularl it is my object to rothis character in w ich a controlling switch is actuated by a-lioat or' other actuating mechanism whereby an electric circuit-may be either established or broken depending on the level of water inuencing the float orA other condition iniuencing the actuating mechanism. y

A further object is to provide-such a structure in the form of alloat housing having a switch housing attached thereto and having a float in the float housing connected to a i rock shaft extending intothe switch housing i tacts adapted to coact with other contactsv which rock shaft is operatively connected to the switch in the switch housing.

Still a further object is to provide a switch in the form of an armature arm having conmounted stationary in the switch housing and to have a permanent magnet adjacent the armature arm when the contacts are closed. Still a further kobject is to rovide a. resilient connection between a oat or other actuating mechanism and the switch so that the magnet will cause a decided snap action ofthe switch.

Still a further object is to provide a structure of this character for controlling the level of waterlin either a boiler or a water storage tank by causing the electric'circuit to control a motor for pumping water into the boiler or for pumping air into the storage tank. f

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts' of my device2 whereby the objects contemplated are atta1ned,.as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Although the invention is susceptible et a variety of embodimentsyit is unnecessary to fully describe and illustrate more than one invorder to give a full understanding of they invention both from its structural and functional standpoints. Accordingly, I have i1-r lthe float therein.

y Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the installation of my device in a water storage tank` system; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentaryview of the switch illustrating itsI construction when usedv as shown in Figure 4J On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral to indicate a boiler such as a steam boiler in which the level of the water is to` be maintained at a certain level. The boiler 10 is usually provided lwith water gauge connections 12 which are connected together by a, glass water gauge 14 in which the level of the water mayI be observed. A

In one embodiment of my invention a oat housing 16 may be connected by piping 18 l around the gau e glass 14 so that the water will also enter t e housing 16 for controlling a float. The housing 16 1s provided with a boss 20 adapted to support a switchhousing 22. The switch hous1ng22 has a tubular extension 24 threaded into the boss 20 as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. y

Pressed into the tube 24 are bushings 26v and 28. Journaled in the bushings 26v and 28 is a rock shaft 30. The rock shaft30 is bent at right an les as indicated at 52 and is se cured to a oat34. The right angled extenp sion 32 extends through a slot 36 formed in the end of the tube 24. The edges of the 'slotv 36 act as a stop for the :dont 34 both' when in a raised position.

n will be obvious the; water in the tonsing 16 willaiectthe float 3 4 for raising orl.

. lowerin it, depending on the levelof-tllev nce there is a pressure in the boiler 10 water. u

posltion and when in Aa lowered 95 I 10 a packing gland ,38is .rovided which, in conjunctionwith the bus ing 26l between. `the two of which packing is mounted, and a spring for holding the packing tight serve as a packing gland. A plug 42 is provided for holding the spring 40 in position. c

A bar 44 of insulating material is supported Vwithin the switch housing 22 and su ports the various parts of the switch. TheV ar 44 has mounted thereon a main contact 46. An auxiliary contact 48.is also mounted on the bar 44 and these two contacts are connected together by a bracket 50, screws 52 and 54 and 'a strip of metal 56 as shown in Figure 1, the strip being shown in dotted lines( The bracket also serves to support a permanent magnet 58 on the bar 44. f

A bracket 6() is secured to the bar 44 and pivotally supports an armature arm 62. The

armature arm 62 is provided with a main cony tact 64 and with an auxiliary contact 66.

The auxiliary contact 66 can move relative to the arm 62 because of its being secured to one end of a thin leaf spring 68, the other end of which is .secured to the arm 62 adjacent the pivot thereof on the bracket 60.v

For operatively connecting the rock shaft 30 to the arm 62 a lever 72 is provided which is secured by set screws orother means to the rock shaft 30. The arm 72 is connected by a. link 74 formed of resilient material and having a few coils formed in it so that a resil- Y ient connection is had. The armature arm l62 isv connected by a flexible lead 76 to a terminal screw 78. i

Practical operation In the operation of the structure, the-water within the housing 16 when raised to a certain height will'raise the float 34 causingthe arm 72 to assume the dotted line positiony shown in Figure 1. This raises the armature 62 due to thellink connection 74 for opening the switch contacts.` The permanent m et 58 tends to hold the contacts closed an as the arm 72 swings upwardly it will sli htly compress the colls of the link 74 unt' `the magnetic field is overcome. Immediately the armature'arm will be in a weaker eld and the compressed coils of the link will expand i a source of supply and to an electric motor 86. The motor 86 operates a pump88 whereby when the oat 34 is lowered to a 'automatically stopped. Stopping of the motor is caused by the movement of the oat causing the coils of the link 74 to contract until the attraction of the magnet 58 for they arm 62 is ovcrcomewhereupon the switch contacts are separated with a decided snap action because of the arm moving through an ever weakening magnetic field andthe coils of the link 74 consequently expanding.

In water storage systems as illustrated in Figure 4, -a motor 90 and pump 92 serve to pump water intothe storage tank 94. This compresses air therein above the water level 96 so that this compressed air serves to drive the-water out of the tank and from the faucets connected thereto when they are open. The motor 90 is controlled by the pressure of the tank and'forms no part of my presentl invention.

In asystem of this character it is found ,that the water tends to absorb some of this air so that after a period of operation there is not enough air inthe tank for the system to work properl It 1s theredre the practice to provide an electric motor 98 for running a compressor ,100 forr pumping air into the'tank 94 and thereby replenishinggthe supply of air therein so that normal operation of the` system is restored.' M device can be applied to a storage tank o this character in the same manner as it is applied to the boiler 10 and may be used to control the motor 98 yby reversing the action of the switch. This may be. done by reversing the positions of the pivot 70 and the link connection 74 from the arm 72 to'the armature arm' 62 whereby when the float 34 is 'raised the switch will be closed andthe motor 98'started for forc- .ing air into the tank 94 until sufficient air has been pumped thereinto.

cause of the armature 62,`

The motors 98 and 90 are connected in y parallel and operate from the pressure con trolling switch in unison.v The pressure controllingswitch is of the ordinary type for automatically controlling the pumping mo-l tor 92 depending on the pressure of air in to remain idle. Y

The arm-62 is preferably provided with a leaf spring stop 63. A strip of insulation 65 prevents grounding of the-armY 62 to the myv - connection with casing 22 wlien the arm is moved to open switc position.

My device allows for extremely close dif-n ferential of operation between off and on position. This is extremel im ortant in pumps fee ing arge horizontal boilers. l Y' My device may be used in various installations and I have shown two ways of utilizing it merely for the purpose of illustra.- tion. Wherever it is desirable to controlan electric circuit by the level of a liquid my device can be installed either with the switch .arranged as shown in Figure 1 or as shown in Figure 5.

By providing the switch structure with ak ma et as illustrated and a link 74 which resi iently influences the amature to move to leither position, a snap action and an arc n chanical e uivalents, which may be reason- -ably inclu ed within their scope.

. I claim as my invention:

1. An automatic water level controlling structure comprising a float housing, a rock shaft extending therefrom, a float within said housing and secured to said'rock shaft, a switch mounted on said housing and including a switch arm, means constantly tend-` ing to maintainsaid switch arm in on position and an operative connection between said rock shaft and said switch arm wherebyvthe switch arm may be resilientlymoved against the action of said means.

2. A controlling device comprising a switch structure including an armature arm, Y

a contact thereon, a stationary contact adapted to be engaged thereby, a permanent magnet, said armature arm being adjacent the polesv of said magnet when said contacts are in engagement, a dont and a resilient connector for operatively connecting said float to said armature.

3. A controlling device comprising a switch structure including an armature arm, a. contact thereon, a stationary contact adapted to be engaged thereby, a permanent magnet, said armature arm being adjacent the poles ofesaid magnet when said contacts are in engagement, a ioat, a rock shaft sup orting said float and adapted to be rocked there-v IIlC- by and a spring connection between said rock shaft and said' armature arm.

l 4. A controlling device comprising a switch structure including an armature arm, a contact thereon a stationary contact adapted to be engaged thereby, a permanent magnet, said armature arm being adjacent the oles of said magnet when said contacts are in engagement and a float operatively connected by resilient means to said armature.

5. A controlling device comprising a switch structure including an armature arm, a main contact thereon, a main stationary contact adapted to be engaged thereby, a perymanent magnet,`said armature arm being adjacent the poles of said magnet when said contacts are in engagement, an auxiliary con` adapted to be engagedthereby u on engagement of the main contact on t e arm with the main stationary contact, the engagement' of the auxiliary contacts with each l other occurring slightly before and their disengagement occurringl slightly after, the engagement and disengagement of the main contacts, a float, a rock shaft supporting said float and adapted to be rocked thereby and a spring connection between said rock shaft and said armature arm. v

6. A controlling device comprising a switch structure including an armature arm,

-a contact thereon, a stationary contact adapt.

ed to be engaged thereby, a permanent inagnet, said armature arm being adjacent the poles of' said magnet when said contacts are in engagement, an actuator and a two way resilient connector for operatively connecting said actuator to said armature.

7. A controlling device comprising a switch structure including an armature arm, a contact thereon, a stationary contact adapted-to be engaged thereby, a permanent mag.

net, said armature arm being adjacent the poles of said magnet when said contacts are in engagement and an actuating mechanism operatively connected by a two way resilient means to said armature.'

8. A controlling device comprising al switch structure including an armature arm, a permanent magnet, said armature arm being adjacent the poles of said magnetwhen said armature arm is in closed circuit position, an actuating mechanism and a two way operative connection between said actuating mechanism and said armature arm which resiliently influences said 'amature arm to move away from said magnet when said actuating mechanism moves in one direction and which resiliently influences said armature arm to move toward said magnet when said actuating mechanism moves in an opposite direction. 1

9. A device of the character described comprising a control mechanism including an armature arm movable to opposite positions, a. permanent magnet, said armature arm beisa,-

ing adjacent the poles of said magnet when sald armature arm is in one of its positions, an actuating mechanism and a two way operative connection between said actuating mechanism and said armature arm whichresiliently influences said amature arm to move away from said magnet when said actuating mechanism moves in one direction and which resiliently influences said armature arm to move toward said magnet when said actuatingmechanism moves in an opposite direction.

10. A controlling device comprising a switch structure including a movable armature arm, a contact carried thereby and movable therewith, a stationary contact, a perl 4manent magnet having poles on opposite sides of said stationary contact, said armature armbeing ad] acent said poles ,when said first contact is engaged with said stationary contact, an actuating mechanism and a two way resilient means for providing an operative connection between said actuating mechanism 'and said armature arm. l

Executed at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, this 16th day of February, 1932.

ALBERT PENN. 

